Formation tester for oil wells with sample retainer



2 Sheets-Sheet l W irri/WIK Aug. 16, 1955 B. R. MCKINLEY FORMATION TESTER FOR OIL WELLS WITH SAMPLE RETAINER Filed May 6, 1952 Aug. 16, 1955 B. R. MoKlNLEY FORMATION TESTER FOR OIL WELLS WITH SAMPLE RETAINER Filed May 6, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 WM a M i Y @a fram/fx 2,715,443 Patented Aug. 16, 1955 tice FRMATIN TESTER FR OIL WELLS WITH SAMPLE RETAINER Boyd R. McKinley, Long Beach, Calif.

Application May 6, 1952, Serial No. 286,383

2 Claims. (Cl. 16d- 152) ln an oil well it is frequently desirable to obtain a sample of the fluid within the well, and from dilferent levels therein, to determine the type of fluid which is entering the well at various levels. Due to the fact that these samples are frequently taken at considerable depths within the earth, it is usual to have the entrapped fluid under considerable pressure when the sampling tool reaches the surface. if the tool is retrieved and if the uid is under pressure, then this fluid (which might be inflammable) is frequently sprayed over a considerable area around the derrick and a fire hazard results.

An object of my invention is to provide a novel means whereby a sample of the fluid within the well can be obtained and then deposited in a closed retainer. This re tainer being then sealed so that when the tool reaches the surface the duid therein will still be tightly enclosed, and can be removed to a safe place before it is opened and before the sample iluid is recovered.

Another object of my invention is to provide a method of retaining the sample from an oil well, which consists in running tool into a well in which there is a longitudinally slidable sleeve provided with one or more ports. The ports being selectively positioned so that the interior of the tool is iirst sealed from the entrance of any fluid into the same, then a port is opened to admit uid to the tool,

then that port is closed, then the same port or another port is opened to dump the entrapped fluid into a retainer and then the intake port to that retainer is closed so that the uid is sealed therein and cannot escape because of reduced pressure.

A feature of my invention is to provide a method of retaining a sample in an oil well of the character stated, in which all of the controls mentioned above are made from the surface and while the tool itself is within the well, and at a considerable distance from the earths surface.

Another obiect of rnv method is to rovide a sam le re- 7 tainer in an oil well in which a port can be opened to the exterior while the tool is being removed from the Well, and to permit circulation through the tool, and during this circulation the sample is packed off from the passage within the tool and cannot be contaminated by the circulating fluid.

Other objects, advantages and features of invention may appear from the accompanying drawing, the subjoined detailed description and the appended claims.

in the drawing:

Figure l is a view partly in section of the upper portion of formation tester, including my method.

Figure 2 is a view partly in section of the lower portion of a formation tester embodying my invention.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view partly in section showing a rnodiiied form of packing within a formation tester embodying rny invention.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view partly in section of the ports in my formation tester with iiuid entering the same.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary View partly in section of a formation tester with the ports in position to dump entrapped fluid into a retainer'.

fill

Figure 6 is a View similar to Figure 5 but with the parts in closed position and entrapping the sample in the retainer.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the control position of my tool is substantially identical to my prior Patent No. 2,197,978, dated April 16, 1940, and entitled Formation Tester.

in somewhat general terms, my formation tester 1 comprises a control head 2, a packer 3 and a ported intake sleeve 4. On the upper end of the tool a sub 5 is provided which is suitably threaded to receive the drill pipe (not shown). The drill pipe is not shown since its construction is usual and well known. A control tube 7 extends downwardly from the sub 5' and into a sleeve il. The tube 7 is rotatable within the sleeve i5 as will be further described.

A head 9 is formed on the lower end of the tube 7, and a nut 1li screws into the top of the sleeve 3 and seats against the head 9, thus holding the tube 7 against longi tudinal movement in the sleeve 8. The lower end of the tube 7 rests on an anti-friction bearing 12, this bearing being mounted within the sleeve il. lt will thus be evident that if the sleeve ii is held stationary, rotation of the drill pipe will cause the tube "l to rotate within the sleeve.

The wall engaging packer 3 is positioned immediately below the sleeve S and forms a part of this tool. On the lower end of the packer 3 is provided a plurality of longitudinally slidable dogs 13 which are urged upwardly on tapered seats 1li, when the tool is lowered after certain well known and usual trip means have been released by the action of the springs 1S, as described in Patent No. 2,005,955, and which is usual and well known in the art.

The intake sleeve 4 is provided with a plurality of radially arranged intake ports 16, which ports are positioned between upper and lower annular packings 17 and 13 respectively. These packings are positioned within the intake sleeve 4 and encircle a sampling tube 19.

A pipe 2t) screws into the lower end of the sleeve 3 and extends downwardly through the packer 3, the dog assembly 13, and screws into the upper end of the intake sleeve 4. The pipe 2d has a limited longitudinal movement through the packer 3, the downward movement being limited by engagement of the sleeve 8 with the top of the packer 3. The sampling tube 19 extends downwardly through the tube 7, the sleeve S, the pipe Ztl, and extends below this pipe into the intake sleeve 4l. The lower end of the sampling tube 19 is closed by a cap 21.

An upper port 22 in the tube 19 which is spaced above the lower end of the sampling tube, admits iluid into this sampling tube through the ports 16, when said ports and the port 22 are in alignment. Longitudinal move ment is imparted to the sampling tube 19 by means of the following construction:

A coarse thread 23 is cut on the outside of the sampling tube 19. These threads mesh with coarse interior threads 24 which are cut in the sleeve 7. The sampling tube 19 is moved longitudinally in the tool and without rotation by rotating the drill pipe, which in turn rotates the sleeve 7. This causes the threads 23-24 to move the sampling tube 19 upwardly or downwardly in order to open or close the ports 22. That is, the ports 22 are moved downwardly from their position opposite the packing 17 to a position in alignment with the holes 16. At this point, uid under pressure in the well enters the hole 16 and the ports 22 and flows into the sampling tube 19.

If the upper ports 22 are moved downwardly to a position opposite the packing 18, then the fluid is trapped in the sampling tube 19. It is desirable, however, to drain the sampled uid out of the tube 19 and for this purpose I provide a sample retaining container 25 which consists of a section of pipe threaded onto the bottom of the sleeve 4. The container 25 is closed at the bottom by a plug or iitting 25'. To permit drainage of uid out of the sampling tube 19, I provide a second or lower port 26 which is moved below the packing 18 in the lowered position of the sampling tube 19, as shown in Figure 5. In this position the fluid within the sampling tube can drain into the sample container 25. `When the tool is to be withdrawn from the Well the sampling tube 19 is raised until the port 26 is again within the area of the packing 18, thus sealing o this port and also sealing off sample container 25 so that the Huid is trapped therein and will not be forced out of the tool when the surface of the well is reached. The packing 18 also serves to prevent any leakage from the sample container 25.

The ports 22-26 can be positioned as shown in Figure 6. However, if it is desired to circulate through the tool and still not contaminate the sampled fluid in 25, then the port 22 can be raised into alignment with the holes 16, thus permitting fluid to circulate outwardly from within the tool through the holes 16.

In Figure 3, I have shown a slight modiiication of the port construction in that I provide upper packing 17 and a middle packing 18 and a lower packing 27. An upper port 22 similar to the port 22 is also provided, as well as an intermediate port 28 and a lower port 29. The port 29 serves as the drain port to drain uid from the sampling tube 19 when this port is moved below the packing 27. The center port 28 can act as a circulation port to align with the hole 16 when this port is moved above the packing 18'. In this construction the packings 1718' and 27 can be somewhat shorter than the packings 17-18 previously described.

In operation the construction of Figure 3 is used as follows: To take in a sample the port 28 is aligned with the holes 16, at which time iiuid is drawn into the sampling tube 19. After a sample has been taken, the sampling tube 19 is lowered in the manner previously described, until the lower port 29 is below the packing 27, whereupon the sample will be drained into the fluid container 25. In another positioning of the ports, the port 22 can be aligned with the holes 16, at which time the lower port 29 is below the packing 27, whereupon a sample is drawn into the tube 19 and drains through the port 29 and thence into the sample retainer 25. When removing the formation tester from the well, the ports are all sealed, as shown in Figure 3.

Having described my invention, l claim:

1. In a formation tester, including an intake sleeve having holes extending laterally into the same, a sampling tube longitudinally slidable in said intake sleeve, said tube having an intake port therein alignable with said holes on longitudinal movement of the tube, a control head, threaded means coupling the sampling tube to said control head, a pipe connected at its ends to said intake sleeve and control head respectively, the sampling tube extending through said pipe, wall gripping means mounted on said pipe, said thread means on the control head imparting longitudinal movement to the tube on rotation thereof relative to the control head to open and close said holes in the intake sleeve to admit fluid, a sample container depending from the intake sleeve, said intake having a second port therein, said second port being movable into the sample container in the lowered position of the sampling tube.

2. In a formation tester, including an intake sleeve, vertically spaced packing means mounted within the sleeve, said sleeve having a hole therein positioned between the packing means and extending laterally through the wall of the sleeve, a sampling tube extending into the sleeve and longitudinally slidable therein, said tube having an intake port therein alignable with said hole on longitudinal movement of the tube, a control head, threaded means coupling the sampling tube to said control head, a pipe connected at its ends to the intake sleeve and control head respectively, wall gripping means mounted on said pipe, said threaded means in the control head imparting longitudinal movement to the sampling tube on rotation of said head, a sample container depending from the intake sleeve, said sampling tube having a second port therein movable to a position below the lowermost packing means to dump fluid into the sample container.

References Cited in the iile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,197,078 McKinley Apr. 16, 1940 2,330,509 McCullough Sept. 28, 1943 2,503,557 McKinley Apr. 11, 1950 2,567,321 Courter Sept. 11, 1951 2,582,718 Ragland Ian. 15, 1952 2,588,746 McKinley Mar. 1l, 1952 2,661,802 Johnston Dec. 8, 1953 

